Manchester United host Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford this evening, looking to return to winning ways after boss Ruben Amorim suffered his first defeat as manager in midweek.
The Red Devils fell to a 2-0 loss against Arsenal at the Emirates, ending the 39-year-old’s three-game unbeaten run after taking over from Erik ten Hag.
However, he’s yet to lose a game on home soil, looking to make it back-to-back losses for Nuno Espírito Santo’s men in Manchester after their defeat to Manchester City on the same night.
A win this evening will take United above the visitors in the Premier League table, closing the gap on the top four spots – undoubtedly the aim for Amorim come the end of the season.
If his side are to return to winning ways, he must recall one player after dropping to the bench in North London a couple of days ago.
Why Amad needs to start against Forest
After the appointment of the former Portuguese international, it’s seen the side operate in the 3-4-2-1 system that saw him claim two league titles during his time at Sporting CP.
Such a transition has allowed numerous players to star in unfamiliar roles, with Amad Diallo just one of the beneficiaries in recent weeks.
The Ivorian originally arrived in Manchester as a winger, but he’s since dropped slightly further back to operate in a right wing-back role, taking his performance levels above anything he’d ever demonstrated in the North West.
In the three games since his switch, the 22-year-old has thrived, delivering three assists in just two league outings – including a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Marcus Rashford, who poked home for the first goal of the Amorim era against Ipswich.
However, despite his recent displays, he was named as a substitute against the Gunners, with Tyrell Malacia coming into the side – but it’s a switch that needs to be reversed once more tonight.
Most of the positive forward play in recent outings has come through the former Atalanta ace, with a recall needed alongside one other key first-team star.
The player who needs to be recalled alongside Amad
Academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo has taken huge strides over the last 12 months, from making his debut to even receiving an England call-up for Euro 2024 over the summer.
However, he’s yet to showcase his best performance levels under the new management team, being left on the bench in two of the three games he’s been available for.
The 19-year-old did start the clash against Everton last weekend but did receive his fifth booking of the season – subsequently receiving a one-match ban for the game at the Emirates on Wednesday.
His suspension saw Bruno Fernandes drop into a slightly deeper role alongside Manuel Ugarte, ultimately taking away the creativity of the Portuguese international, with the United skipper producing his best displays when he operates in a more advanced role, as seen against the Toffees.
Such a move leaves a perfectly sized hole in the middle of the park for Mainoo, allowing the “world-class” ace, as dubbed by journalist Ryan Adsett, to terrorise Forest at Old Trafford.
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Kobbie Mainoo’s Premier League stats for Man Utd (2024/25) |
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|---|---|
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Statistics |
Tally |
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Games played |
8 |
|
Minutes played |
654 |
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Pass accuracy |
90% |
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Dribbles completed |
74% |
|
Tackles success |
81% |
|
Duels won |
48 |
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Interceptions |
15 |
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Stats via FotMob |
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During the opening months of 2024/25, he’s completed 74% of the dribbles he’s attempted, whilst achieving a 90% pass accuracy rate, two figures that could enable him to run the show at the Theatre of Dreams and terrorise the visitors.
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Indeed, Mainoo might fancy his chances up against the likes of Ryan Yates and Nicolas Dominguez, with the pair having struggled against City in midweek, after being dribbled past four times between them on the night.
It will be a tricky task against Nuno’s side, who have enjoyed a superb start to the campaign, but ultimately, Amorim’s men should have the quality to pull through once more.
If they are to claim all three points, Amad and Mainoo are two players who simply have to start, potentially picking up where they left off in the previous home victory.
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